Bitter
by shadoewhunter
Summary: The bitter scent of cigarettes always clung to Ban's clothes- a bitter, heavy smell that would always stay with Ginji, even at the end.


Disclaimer: I don't own Get Backers, blah blah

**Disclaimer: I don't own Get Backers, blah blah**

**Bitter**

* * *

"Neh, you should cut back on those, Ban-chan," Ginji prodded gently as Ban shook the paper cigarette pack and tapped out another rolled up stick of cancer. He frowned a little as he leaned over Ban's shoulder, head resting on the arm he'd propped up on his spiky haired partner. Ban didn't mind the blonde-haired boy's habits of using him as a resting post but he shot him a look of two thirds annoyance, one part arrogance and a dash of none-of-your-business.

"I like it, so leave it be, dumb eel." He held the cigarette in his mouth as he struck a match, keeping the flame cupped in his hand as he lit up. Drawing in a deep breath, he blew out the smoke into the sky.

"S'not like I force it on you." Ginji wrinkled his eyebrows a little with his look of concern.

"Still Ban-chan, those aren't good for you. You don't wanna die from lung cancer one day, do you?" Ban snorted and looked away as he held the cigarette between two fingers, breathing in the heavy taste. Ginji took the brief opening to dip his hand down and snatch up the packet that Ban held loosely in his left hand.

"No more for today!" Ban glared at him over his purple sunglasses as he made a half-valiant attempt to swipe back his Marlboro Reds.

"Damn it, Ginji, give those back." Ginji shook his head and grinned as he scooted back off the bench they'd been sharing, holding the pack high with one hand. The setting sun caught his blonde hair and gave him a bright halo as the boy shook the pack in Ban's direction.

"Nope! And if you try to get it, I'll shock the pack and burn up all the cigarettes! Then you won't have any!" Ban scowled, his current smoke still resting between his fingers, ash building up.

"I'm gonna kick your scrawny little ass if you don't give me back my cigarettes, ya dumb busybody eel!", he proclaimed even as he stuck the cigarette back in his mouth and pushed himself off the park bench to give chase to his partner. Ginji could be such a child sometimes he thought, grinning to himself even as he twisted and grabbed the back of his partner's jacket collar tightly.

"Owowow-Ban-chan!!"

"Hand them back, dumb eel-" Ban's words had barely left his mouth before Ginji made good on his threat and the small white and red package started smoking right before his eyes.

"OI!! THOSE COST MONEY YA IDIOT!!"

"Neh, neh, then Ban-chan should listen to me!!"

* * *

"Light it for me..." Ban's voice was deeper than usual, his eyes closed as he sat there, resting against his partner's leg. Ginji choked back a sob even as his hands gripped the other Ban's shirt, ignoring the growing wetness that he could feel spreading.

"B-ban...chan..." Ginji's voice was small when he finally forced it out. "We have to...have to go...find you a doctor-" His whimper was cut off by Ban's half laugh, half cough.

"You talk too much." Ban shakingly lifted the cigarette he'd pulled from his pack to his mouth, the stick bent a little after being crushed from his fight. Red stained his fingers and in turn, the white of the cigarette even as he slowly brought it up to rest between his lips.

"Ban-chan..." The younger boy struggled to keep tears from his eyes, even as he gripped Ban's shirt tighter, trying to pull his partner, his best friend, the one who mattered the most to him closer. Ban held the cigarette there, drooping between his lips, almost as if he were tired out from just maneuvering it there.

"Light it, Ginji. Let me smoke it before we get out of here." He coughed again, this time harder, his breath catching a little, the cough sounding almost wet. His upper body shook a little as he struggled to regain control, Ginji running his hand against his back, trying to soothe him till the moment passed. The blonde's tears broke loose and trickled down, mixing with the sweat and grim on his face.

"No, Ban-chan, we have to leave, okay? You're gonna be okay. You shouldn't be smoking anyways, those are bad for you, and you're coughing already, can't you see?" He blabbered on, unable to stop himself, unable to stop Ban, stop the fight, stop fate from running its course just as he'd been unable to change the past he'd nevertheless chosen to run away from the day he left Mugenjou and the Voltz. Where was the Raitei now? What use did he have for uncapped power, limiteless energy if once again he could not save his friend. Why was he here again, why was this happening all over again?

"Just...one smoke. One minute." Ban's voice had lowered to a harsh whisper as he opened his eyes to look at Ginji, his violet eyes deep as always, as clear and unclouded as the day he'd starred back at Raitei with truth in his words.

_"If you're so unhappy here, why not just leave?"_

Ginji's hands found Ban's cheap plastic lighter, one that he'd scavenged at some bar last week, his grin when he'd found it had been so proud. Free stuff is always good, he'd said as he'd pocketed the tiny red lighter. And now Ginji's hands moved by their own accord as he brought up the lighter, the mouth sparking once, twice before lighting a flame to burn the end of his cigarette.

Ban grinned at him as he breathed in the smoke, his eyes closing as he leaned back, resting against Ginji as the blonde shifted to hold him tighter.

"See? Just let me finish this and we'll get going." Ginji nodded as he bent his head forward, pressing his face into the top of Ban's head.

"Yea, Ban-chan. We'll go together right?"

"Of course. Don't you remember what the S in Get Backers stands for?"

"Mm. Together. 'Cause we're a team."

"Tch. You know it."

* * *

Ginji's face was wet as he pulled his face up from Ban's hair, his eyes shadowed as he starred downwards. His lips parted hesitantly, a smile touching his face as he leaned over more, still hugging the dark haired boy close.

"You're taking too long, Ban-chan. Here I'll help you, but don't expect me to do it again." He took the cigarette from Ban and brought it up to his lips shakingly. He took a deep breath and choked, coughing as the smoke burned his chest, the smoke bitter to taste.

"These are horrible, Ban-chan." He whispered into Ban's hair, cigarette hanging from his right hand. Pulling his left arm in, his fingers dug into Ban's arm as he rocked him gently, his face buried into his hair then neck as he tried to breathe in the last scent, the last warmth of his best friend.

The cigarette lay forgotten where it fell, half burnt as the ash crumpled, its light slowly smoldering out to a bitter end on the floor.


End file.
